The Atlantic Daily: Why Do People Have the Political Opinions They Have?

Political beliefs may derive from a biological propensity to feel physical disgust. Plus the day of the second State of the Union has finally come, and a city aiming to be the first in America to ban face-recognition technology

A view of Democratic women of the U.S. House during President Donald Trump's State of the Union speech on February 5, 2019Leah Millis / Reuters

What We’re Following

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers his second official State of the Union at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, following a border-wall-funding standoff and a record-long government shutdown that led to a week’s delay for the speech. Sure, he may talk about investing in policy with bipartisan support—infrastructure, lowering prescription-drug prices—and all under the umbrella theme “Choosing Greatness,” but what other political achievements might Trump have to show off? (Here’s why any gesture at unity won’t work tonight, John Dickerson argues.)

San Francisco is hoping to ban local-government use of facial-recognition technology. If lawmakers pass the ordinance, it would make the California city the first in the nation with such an outright ban. But San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin’s bill hones in on face-recognition as used in policing. So what about, say, that infamous face-unlock feature on Apple’s latest iPhone model?

The Oscars is demonstrating its inferiority complex, as the Academy prepares for the 91st iteration of its awards ceremony later this month. First it tried to add a (short-lived) new prize to recognize “outstanding achievement in popular film.” It’s trimmed its broadcast of award categories without much celebrity (including, reportedly, cinematography). It remains host-less. Is there a solution for the institution that’s trying to balance maintaining its stature and broadening its appeal as a supposed purveyor of the best in film?

Evening Reads

“On rare occasions, we learn of a new one—a key factor that seems to have been overlooked. To a surprising degree, a recent strand of experimental psychology suggests, our political beliefs may have something to do with a specific aspect of our biological makeup: our propensity to feel physical disgust.”

Last week, we asked you what your childhood physical-education experience was like, in light of recent research that backs up what many of you experienced: that gym class was a no good, very bad time. One reader dug deep into primary sources and found her third-grade report card (printed above).